I personally do not but many of my friends do with their closest friends/family as a tradition. I'm not brave enough to face the crowds, parking lots, and getting up early. However, I know my friends have a blast and get to spend time with their loved ones. Good luck to you if you do shop and if you do not, I'll see you on Cyber Monday lol.

suzeeq

11-15-2012 10:26 AM

I make it a point to stay out of stores that day - except grocery stores. They're deserted for some reason....

sakura-panda

11-15-2012 11:14 AM

I'll be out! Last year we even hit a couple of the stores Thanksgiving night after we left the kids at my mom's house. I don't know what we're doing this year; I haven't made up my lists yet. And the Thanksgiving day shopping last year were on pure impulse, completely unplanned.

DH and I (yes, I mean my hubby ;) ) make a day of it every year. The first year we went out together, we completed about 90% of our Christmas shopping. Since then, we average about 60-80% of of Christmas shopping completed on Black Friday, with very good bargains. It also means less Christmas shopping to do the rest of the year.

My theory (and I have to quit sharing this or it isn't going to work :doh: ) is that we are right in the middle of four major cities, which are where most people go for their Black Friday shopping. Since we are mainly interested in Kohl's, Target, Wal-Mart, Best Buy, etc we can stick to our little suburban shopping areas and not go out to the big cities with their big malls. That means that while the stores are crowded, they are not much more crowded than a really busy Saturday.

We do end up in a lot of lines, but we are prepared for that. Last year I started my DS's scarf just before Thanksgiving and by the end of the weekend, it was almost half done! :roflhard:

Jan in CA

11-15-2012 12:27 PM

No, I don't go out although I intend to check online for deals! I should have waited till then to order my new Kindle, but I didn't and ordered yesterday. :teehee:

GrumpyGramma

11-15-2012 12:32 PM

I don't like shopping and hate crowds so, no, I won't be out on Black Friday. Cyber Monday might get me to spend some $$.

Antares

11-15-2012 01:15 PM

No! No! No! And did I mention NO!!

I hate shopping and I have gotten to where I really despise the materialist nature of Christmas. I've been telling everyone for years now that we don't need ANYTHING (and incidentally, they probably don't either, but I don't tell them that, I just don't buy them anything).

This year I may not even get the nieces and nephews anything. I know that sounds bad, but I'm pretty sure after we fall off the fiscal cliff (and we will--thanks, Americans), they won't be getting a thing!

GrumpyGramma

11-15-2012 01:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Antares
(Post 1360691)

No! No! No! And did I mention NO!!

I hate shopping and I have gotten to where I really despise the materialist nature of Christmas. I've been telling everyone for years now that we don't need ANYTHING (and incidentally, they probably don't either, but I don't tell them that, I just don't buy them anything).

This year I may not even get the nieces and nephews anything. I know that sounds bad, but I'm pretty sure after we fall off the fiscal cliff (and we will--thanks, Americans), they won't be getting a thing!

You know what? I pretty much agree. My Xmas gift giving is mostly flannel PJs for my grandkids and they get those because in spite of the fact they are too old to think grandma should make them PJs every year they still want me to do it. The PJs are something they use and I enjoy doing it. Otherwise I would probably give them money to put toward whatever they are saving for or to spend as they wish after Xmas at the low sale prices. For my DD's family, there is nothing I can give them that they need and if there is something they want they'll have gotten it before I could afford it so I'm available year round to help out when and how they need me, like taking my granddaughter to ballet tonight. There is very little I actually need and not many more things that I want. I help my son out a couple of times a year, sending anything across country is so expensive that I'd rather he have the $$ for what he needs at the time. I've never been a lot into the whole spend till you're bankrupt thing anyhow. I started the PJs when the grandkids were babies and I think I might be making PJs when they are in college! They really like having things made for them.

Jan in CA

11-15-2012 02:15 PM

I send my stepmom and MIL flowers. Our girls aren't married, there's no grandkids and we still shop for our grown kids, but I mostly just get things they've added to their Amazon lists. It's usually books or kitchen things and the occasional surprise if I know of one. Stuff they would like, but might not buy for themselves. My lists consists of mostly books, a few suggestions for gift cards (usually online yarn stores Lol) and a the random kitchen item sometimes. No one gets everything on the list. I don't shop for other family anymore for the most part and DH and I dispensed with gifts years ago.

We do this because it just wouldn't seem like Christmas w/o the gathering around the tree on Christmas tradition.

vaknitter

11-16-2012 10:00 PM

NOT if my life depended on it !! I let my hubby talk me into going one year b/c my parents were here and offered to watch our son. It was miserable and I will never do it again.

GrumpyGramma

11-16-2012 10:48 PM

:zombie:Fred Meyer was so hectic :hair:this afternoon that I will avoid shopping:evil: as much as possible until after New Year's.:gah: Crowds. :!!!: AAARRRGGGGHHHHH!!!!! :-x
And it's not really started yet.
:passedout: